Shall Hence Be Known As
by Alaina Ross
Summary: Alice drags another girl into the Cullen's life, and brings with her secrets that don't want to be uncovered gently. No Edward.


CarlislePoV

Alice had dragged her into our home and into our lives with the usual enthusiasm laced with a bit of mischievousness as well. She had even winked at me as the two girls stepped through the front door, the second girl avoiding eye contact, instead nervously glancing around our spacious home.

"Dad," she said, and I recognized something familiar in her voice, "this is Amy." I reached out to greet her with my usual smile and an outstretched hand, which I hastily stuffed in my pocket as I realized she was not going to return the greeting. Alice only smiled at the odd gesture and continued to drag the poor girl through the house, leaving me standing awkwardly in the foyer. I would have to ask her about the strange girl later.

The next time I saw them, I had come into the kitchen we had only used when Bella was around, to see what the racket that Alice was making. I sat on the vintage bar stool at the breakfast island and gave the girl a small smile and turning to Alice.

"Are you girls having fun?" I asked lightheartedly, giving my daughter a grin. Alice gave a happy affirmative squeal and continued with what she was doing. She turned a moment later to present her and Amy with perfectly sculpted ice cream bowl, filled with plain vanilla ice cream. Amy smiled a bit as she took the bowl and placed it in front of her.

"None for me?" I asked in mock hurt, I wanted to appear as human as possible to this girl. Alice only stuck her tongue out at me and began talk rapidly to her new friend. I watched the two unnoticed for a moment and I realized what Alice's tone earlier had reminded me of: when Bella had first come to our home, and the certainty of pronouncement of their best friend status. I let out a low chuckle that was too soft for human ears, and Alice's knowing eyes flickered up to mine with a tiny grin.

She returned to her conversation with Amy, and I walked away, shaking my head, wondering what Alice had in store for us this time.

AmyPoV

Their house was so…HUGE. It was the only word I could even come up with as I walked into their front door. Alice's father greeted up at the door, and I panicked. I thought I was smooth, but now that I think about it, I acted like a total dork. All the other girls said he was like gorgeous, but I didn't see it. Something about the man made me nervous.

I really like Alice, she is so nice and she has so many pretty things. I spent a good portion of our time together gazing at all the nice things they had. Her room alone was stunning, purple everything. Purple lace curtains, purple striped walls, purple furniture, purple carpet that felt like walking on clouds. I had to admit I was getting a bit jealous. At some point jasper came in to say hello to Alice, and made a strange face at me. I don't think I like him much.

Later, I think my stomach growled and I think she must have heard or something because we went downstairs and ate the most amazing tasting ice cream I've ever had. I never knew vanilla could taste so good. I never wanted to leave this fairy tale land and I felt like a little kid again when I had to go home, I didn't want to leave. Instead I gave her a smile and thanked her for everything, and she only grinned and said "anytime." What a strange girl, but I really needed a friend right now.

I stood on the porch like a dork, watching as Alice's beautiful Porsche drove around the corner, before I cautiously opened the door, trying to feel the mood as I stepped inside our dark home and closed the door behind me.

"Hello" I called cautiously.

"Hi." My mom called back exasperated, not a good sign. She must've had a bad day at work.

"How was the Cullen's' house?" she asked.

"Fine," I answered, I knew not to get into too much detail because she would end up getting bored and walking away, so I continued with "How was work?" knowing that was what was expected of me. She took her cue and launched into a long and strained explanation of her day, and I sat and listened quietly, glancing at the clock now and then to keep track of the time, knowing I still needed to finish my homework. It was already past six and I knew it would be a late night doing homework at this point.

"Are you even listening? Do you even care? You don't care…" her bitter voice broke my thought stream and I watched in a sort of numb recognition as she walked away to the garage, the door swinging shut as she left for her usual cigarette. I stood quietly and made my way up the stairs to my bedroom, pushing the door shut gently. I sat down on my bed and took a few deep breaths.

Seeing Alice with her dad today was really hard, and I hated myself for being jealous of their relationship. I was only six when I lost my dad, when he finally hit my mom, he was dragged away to prison and I haven't seen him since. It had started with my older brother. He was from another relationship my mom had, and my dad hated that. Every time mom was gone, Jake would yell and scream at him. Being in preschool, I never understood why. But then the anger began to spill over, and both Travis and I were getting hit as soon as the door closed behind mom.

Jake left and not too long later, Travis left, leaving me alone with mom. Things were fantastic for a few years, and we were closer than ever. Then, things began to change. She got angry a lot, and I started learning to hide. I arranged my room in a way that allowed me to make in my own personal utopia. Posters of pretty things covered my walls, bright colored shelves lined my room, and my habit of never cleaning my room became a nearly OCD need to clean it every time I was in it.

When I was a freshman in high school, I was given a job opportunity to intern in a television station, and I jumped on it like a fat kid on fudge. I loved it there. I looked forward to every day that I was there, and dreaded going home more and more. Soon, the drive over to the station became hellish, and the fighting that usually stayed at home became a common routine in the car. I started coming to work crying and forced to spend a few minutes in the ladies room to clean up my appearance and make myself presentable. It soon became too much and mom stopped giving me rides, saying I didn't deserve to go. That was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do, telling the station manager that I would no longer be working with them. I spent the next week in near silence, only trying to appear happy to avoid the dreaded "talk" with the over observant school counselors.

Soon, most all of the organizations I had been a part of began to drop from my life like flies. Finally, I ended up at home, by myself, with the laptop I had been able to purchase with my remaining money from the station, clinging to it desperately, not wanting this last little bit of hope to escape my life forever.

Mom and I began to fall into a routine. I would come home, pronounce my day as "fine" and listen to her vent about her long and drawn out day, escaping up to my room to use whatever time I had left to do homework and perhaps get some reading done, only venturing out to use the restroom and make myself a frozen dinner.

Then I began to remember things at night. The abuse I had convinced myself didn't happen all my life was beginning to resurface and I began to spend every night crying as quietly as possible, as to not alert my mother in the next room. Then the silent panic attacks started. They are so scary. I'm left gasping for air and sobbing harder than ever, my entire body shaking with their force. I began to get less and less sleep.

To make matters worse, mother insisted that I try to please her in another way, with my school work. Up until then I had been getting average grades, a few A's maybe, mostly B's and a few C's now and then. She pushed me and pushed me until I had taken on a zero period, even less sleep, and an extra class in the afternoon.

Not long after this, the Cullen's had arrived in our small town and I watched them from afar, not wanting to deal with the added social stress of introducing myself and making friends. Thankfully, Alice did the work for me. She talked and talked and talked, allowing me to sit quietly and listen with more enthusiasm than any of her older siblings. I heard all about how her father was a doctor, and her mother an interior decorator. I heard all about her siblings, Jasper, Rosalie, Emmet, and Edward. They all sounded so nice, it makes me wish Travis was still here.

Getting a free afternoon to be able to be with Alice afterschool today was an incredibly special day for me, and I was so thankful to her family for letting me enjoy their house. My house was a shack in comparison, Dark and dank as it was. Their home was so open and light and free, just like Alice, just like I wish I could be.

CarlislePov

I had thought about that girl Amy for a long time after her visit to our home. Something about the way she acted around me and the look on Alice's face gave me something to ponder quite a bit. Finally, I asked my wife about her, being up on the gossip as she was what the story behind this strange girl was. She told me the almost tragic tale of the loss of her father, and sibling and soon to be mother.

"I really don't like that Ross lady, there is something cold and ugly about her that sets me off" my wife said, uncharacteristic of her usual loving behavior. "But her I hear her daughter is a joy to be around, if you can get her to open up a little. So kind and bright, it's a wonder that mother hasn't ruined her yet." I frowned at my wife and turned to mull this over in my head for a while. I placed a kiss on my wife's forehead and smiled.

"Thank you, my dear." I said, leaving to be in my study alone for the time being. My night shift would be starting soon anyway.

It wasn't long before Emmet burst into the room, bellowing about needing a referee for some sort of sporting match he and Jasper were going to have, and I quickly placed the girl in the back of my mind and grinned, joining my sons.

It wasn't until I was driving from my home nestled in the woods, off to the hospital to begin the night shift that I thought of her again. I thought I had seen her passing in a small car to the right, but I had barely had a chance to look before the car quickly sped away. She, curiously, had been on my mind when I saw her and what I assumed to be her mother walking into the ER. Amy looked nervous, and her mother look stressed. I kept an eye on her while the admittance nurse took her vitals and was sent back to a curtained bed. I was back there no more than a few minutes after she had been sent that way.

"Amy," I said, a kind smile on my face, "what a surprise to see you again. What seems to be bothering you?" Amy shifted nervously on the bed while her mother stared at her, almost like she was angry. I ignored it, focusing my attention on Amy. She cleared her throat before speaking.

"It's kind of hard to breath." She said. As soon as she spoke, my ears picked up the heavy wheezing she was doing, and the almost hidden grimace on her face. I flipped open her admitting papers and took a moment to glance over the first set of vitals the nurse had taken. O2 stats were lower than normal, and pulse was a little elevated. I looked up and glanced at her mother.

"How long as she been having this issue?" I asked. The mother gave me a non-challant answer.

"A couple weeks or so." I fought hard to control my shock. How had I not noticed this when she was over earlier in the week. I nodded and kept my voice in a tight controlled manner,

"Breathing issues are not something to be ignored; you should have come in much sooner with this problem." I said cautiously.

"She never said anything." The mother defended, and I nodded, beginning to see a bit of the picture.

"If you wouldn't mind leaving for a moment, I think I'd like to examine Amy in private." I said, holding the curtain back for her mother to leave. She glanced at Amy briefly and shuffled out, the smell of smoking tobacco following her as she left. I pulled the curtain shut again and moved to sit on the edge of the bed. Amy seemed to lean away from me a bit.

"Amy, how long have you had trouble breathing?" I asked quietly, and calmly, hoping to get a straight answer from her. Amy was quiet for a few moments.

"Two weeks?" she answered, it sounded like a question and I frowned briefly.

"Alright Amy, I'm just going to have a listen to your lungs here for a bit." I moved closer and she visibly stiffened. I slip my stethoscope from its usual spot around my neck and cautiously slipped in up her back. Her muscles were tight, and I could hear her pulse begin to race.

"Deep breaths for me, dear" I asked, and she struggled to do as she was told. There was some loud wheezing both when she inhaled and exhaled. I even noticed a small grimace, and it looked as if breathing caused her pain. I didn't need to hear anymore, and I returned to my spot on the edge of her bed. Her head hung low now, not meeting my eyes. She looked almost ashamed.

"Amy, does your mother smoke?" I asked. She nodded and I returned it.

"This sounds a lot like an asthmatic reaction to second hand smoke. I'm going to prescribe some medicine that should help you feel better and breathe better."I said, pulling a prescription pad from my pocket. I somehow knew this wasn't the end of the issue.

AmyPoV

I hated feeling weak in front of Dr. Cullen. He was so nice and I didn't want to sully him with my problems. I wanted nothing more than to get out of that hospital as fast as possible, so I could return to my bedroom and try to get a decent night's sleep for once. He was very kind with me, and that almost scared me. I never had a man be so kind and gentle before. I knew there must have been some ulterior motive lurking behind his stunningly beautiful façade.

I took the medicine like her prescribed, and it helped a bit, but the nausea kept me up longer now. I didn't want to say anything because I knew that it would mean driving back to the hospital and having to pick up a whole new prescription, and there was no way I was asking my mother to do that.

I knew I was screwed when Alice announced to me in Calculus that we would be having a slumber party this coming weekend. That meant being in an extended presence with her father, a man who I've come to hate. I loathed his pitied looks when I saw him around town, and I loathed his kindness toward me even more. I don't know what repelled me from him, but whatever it was, there was no way I was going to be spending a whole night in that house. I learned that day that it was very difficult to say no to Alice when she was determined to get something.

The dreaded night arrived and she picked me up from my porch as usual, my brightly colored pink tote slung over my shoulder was carefully tossed in the backseat of her porche. When we arrived at her house, I managed to avoid Dr. Cullen as we scurried up to her bedroom to begin our night of girl talk and less than little sleep. I had to remind myself to take my medication as we were preparing for a movie on their large flat screen TV. I excused myself to the kitchen to fetch a glass of water and my bottle of pills from Alice's bedroom. I had thought Dr. Cullen had left already for work when I ran into him in the hall on my way back.

"Dr. Cullen! What are you still doing here?" I asked, surprise making my voice hoarse and weak.

"I had the night off. It's good to see you again, Amy" he said, a kind smile splitting his stunning features. I could only nod because I had slammed my mouth shut to avoid the sudden onslaught of bile that now threatened to expel from my mouth. I attempted to duck my head and hurry down the hall to the nearest bathroom when he stopped me.

"Are you feeling alright?" He asked a gentle hand on my shoulder. I didn't even get a chance to nod before I got sick all over his shoes. I covered my mouth in shock and embarrassment as I franticly tried to apologize. Alice was in the hall with us now, and had an old dish towel in her hands to clean Dr. Cullen's shoes, and a washrag for me to wipe my face.

"Dr. Cullen! I am so sorry!" I said, nearly hysterically. My hands, now removed from my face, reached out quickly to grasp the dishtowel from Alice. I knelt down and began to franticly remove some of the mess from his shoes, tears beginning to form in my eyes. There was a rushing in my ears; my vision became blurry as I continued to clean his shoes.

A cool hand descended upon my shoulder and I stiffened immediately.

"Amy, stop." His voice was quiet, and I froze where I was. "It's alright." I blinked a few times, and suddenly I was standing again, his hand holding my elbow gently. My feet began to carry me away, I turned back to see Alice cleaning the remaining mess.

We entered a room I had never been in before.

"Have a seat, sweetheart." Dr. Cullen said, and suddenly I was sitting. I closed my eyes, willing the room to stop spinning and my heart to slow its rapid tempo in my chest. A cool glass of water was pressed into my hand, and I looked down at it, slow to register what it was for.

"Slow sips," he said, "Don't want to make yourself sick again." He chuckled at the last statement, and my heart rate jumped another few beats. I cast my eyes down in shame as I replayed my glorious descent into madness as I saw his shoes like a target.

I took a sip of my water.

"I'm so sorry," I croaked out when I was finished. Dr. Cullen shook his head.

"It's quite alright; I am used to dealing with far worse." He grinned a dazzling grin and my mouth snapped shut, I no longer felt sorry for upchucking on his shoes. "How are you feeling?" He asked then, seeing my sudden change of mood.

"Fine," I said hastily, I moved to stand and his hand came to rest on my forearm. My entire body flinched as he did so, but he did not remove his arm and I found myself locked in eye contact, he looked determined.

Great.

"Are you sure? You may have just lost your dinner on my shoes." He said, a hint of a smile now playing in his eyes. I fought the urge to look away, I would not break.

"I'm sure." I paused for a moment. His silence prodded me to continue. "It's just; the medication makes me feel a little ill." I admitted, a little quieter.

"How long have you felt like this?" He asked, his face softening, and I felt guilty again. He actually did care for my well being.

"Not long, " I lied. Lying was easier, lying is simple; if you can do it right.

"And how long, exactly, is not long?" Dr. Cullen probed further, he was on to me.

Apparently I couldn't do it right.

"Since I started taking it." I broke eye contact and suddenly my hands became very, very interesting and found myself studying each individual imperfection that I could find. I felt him sigh a little.

"Amy," he began, and then there was silence, like he didn't know what to say. I shifted a bit, starting to feel uncomfortable.

"Is there something going on in your home that you haven't told anyone?" He asked suddenly. I leaped out of the chair, enraged, limbs flailing.

"Excuse me?" I shouted a bit too loud. "That would be none of your damn business!" My skin was on fire, the room pulsed with my anger. I backed away from him, his pitying looks, his dazzling smile. All of it became too much, all at once. My breath started to come in shorter gasps, and suddenly Alice was there.

"Dad!" She shrieked, "What did you do?" Dr. Cullen said nothing but took a step toward me. I put out a hand in front of me and stumbled backwards. Things were moving in slow motion now. My eyes slammed shut. My hand touched the wall behind me and I pressed myself up against it, finding comfort in its solidness. Dr. Cullen was in front of me now, I could feel it, but he wasn't touching me. I opened my eyes again. Dr. Cullen has his hand outreached toward me.

"It's alright, Amy." He said quietly. My eyes flickered out to his hand.

I reached out and grasped it.

CarlislePoV

It took Amy nearly an hour to calm down.

The first thing she said when she did finally return to her normal self, albeit a little quieter, was, "I think I'd like to go home now." Alice and I both nodded sympathetically. Amy stood and walked out of my office, Alice just behind her. I sat down heavily in my chair, my hand passing over my face. I had never seen someone react so strongly before, I felt as if it took a lot of courage for Amy to reach out and accept my help than it appeared on the outside. Alice returned with a very odd look on her face, a look that I knew well. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up in warning.

"Dad," Alice said, her voice was a little strained, "Would you mind driving Amy home?" I noticed Amy behind her, head down, bag slung over her shoulder.

"Sure, it's not a problem." I grabbed my car keys off my desk, and they tinkled quietly as they slid into my pocket. Alice gave me another look, and I found it difficult to decipher. I moved quickly to the front of the house, and noticed Alice slip away silently and I could only guess as to what she was up to. I pulled open the door and ushered Amy through, taking note of her slumped appearance.

We made our way to my car, and I pulled open the passenger door for her. She looked uncomfortable, sliding into the seat. I made my way to the driver's side and slid in beside her.

"I apologize if what I said has made you upset tonight, Amy." I said, once I started the car. She shook her head, dismissing it.

"It's alright; it's not your fault." She said quietly. I gave a small nod and thought back to the look Alice had given me earlier. It was a look unlike anything I had seen from my adopted daughter. Something was wrong. I was snapped out of my reverie as Amy's slender hand reached up and pointed out the windshield.

"You can make a right up there." She said quietly. Her hand resumed its place, tightly knotted in her lap. I glanced over at her briefly. Her body radiated unease. My brow furrowed for a moment.

"You can pull in ahead of that white truck." Her eyes were focused on her house and I smoothly pulled up to the sidewalk. Amy quickly gathered her things and pulled the door open.

"Let me walk you to the door," I said, opening the driver's side door and following her as she made her way around the car. She was distracted.

She reached the front door and placed her hand on the door knob, turning to me.

"Thank you, Dr. Cullen." She said quietly, meeting my eyes on her own for the first time that night. She was sincere.

"You are very welcome." I said, giving her a small smile. She glanced away then and pushed the door open. I had made if off the porch when I heard her heart give a stutter. I paused when I heard her breathing hitch.

"Dad?" I turned around to see her standing on the porch still. Inside the dark house I a large man standing, turning toward the door and a figure lying on the ground.

Amy was shaking.

I was smelling blood.

The large man took a step toward Amy; there was a knife in his left hand. I flew up the steps to the porch and wrapped my arm around Amy's waist and pulled her from the door. At top speed, I pulled her back into the car; her feet never touched the ground. I heard the man roar Amy's name. I started the car and stepped on the gas, the pedal touched the floor and the car screeched away from the house.

I pulled my cell phone from my pocket and dialed 911, explaining the situation while I sped back to our home. I finished the call and turned to Amy. She stared out the window, eyes wide, her chest heaving.

"Amy," I said, reaching a hand out to brush back some hair. She flinched away from me, and I put my hand down.

It was going to be a long night.


End file.
